Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-10-03
A PRODUCTIVE REGION.

soeae'hS cEkaIEluS TO tRG eOun
Try Known as the Jim River
Bottom.
Having an appointment to address.
the people at Hardlng's school house
yesterday, the writer, to look the field
over, resolved to go on Saturday. We
had only had a view of those bottom
lands as seen from the cars as they pass.
ed at railroad speed wei the ground
Crossing the bridge, crossing the North.
western track, our route for q mile or 40
lay between the two railroads, the
Northwestern gradually bending farthe,
to the north until we came to the Mil
waukee crossing and there we lost all
points of compass as we threaded our
way, now through the tall corn, now by
the side of dense groves of box.
elders, cottonwood or willows.
Then u route lay through
meadow land adorned with numerous
stacks of hay, followed by more corn
fields, more dense groves with farm
houses hidden inside. The size of the
trees showed that they had been long
planted. We as last followed An open
ing into one of these groves in search of
a house. We found hay stacks, corn
cribs, the barn and ertesiap well. Turn
ing off to the right, we came upon two
rows of mammoth pie plants. On our
left We sighted bee hives well filled with
honey, If the activity OF the inmates was
any sign. Farther to the left is the wind
mill, and farther on to the right we are
at the object OF our search-Mr. Vests
dwelling. Large sized cottonwoods are
growing between the house and road.
These trees doubtless saved the structure
from the ice foes ss they came rolling
down the angry food OF 1881. The
place OF high water mark was shown the
writer by Mrs. West half up the window,
although the house is built on a high
upderpinning. Mr.. West has o fine
place. From this house We go a half
mile west toward James river. The un.
frequented track runs by the side OF q
wire fence most OF the way. The high
trees come to view first, then the barn
the cattle yard. the crib and last, inside
of two openings, O gateway and a pair
of bars, we were inside the door yard of
Mr.. Joseph Volln. Here we found elm
trees, black walnut, rs we'll as box elder
and cottonwood. Three Of these trees
looked like the great grand fathers OF sill
the cottonwoods in Yankton county. We
had the curiosity to measure the longest
ana it was just ten long PAGES about its
trunk, q good thirty feet. One of the
trees had yielded to the inevitable-a
dry rot had been working at the heart
for years, and in one of the summer
bio US it bowed to the blast and lies now
prone, a good supply at Mr.. Volin's
door for his winters wood. | would
rather some other one would do the cut
ting and splitting, for 1t looks as If
cleavage would be in no particular di-
rection. The lightnipgs of heaven here
often played among its branches, making
deep grooves in the trunk. It is q tar
get for lightning every year. Last year
1t was struck twice. It can't hold out
much longer. The days of that old
residen:er are numbered and finished.
This land vii! besr off the palm for
large productions. / saw a squash that
was some squash. MIR. Violin had laid
it upon a platform beside one of ordin.
ary size. / measured the squash and
found its measure in length to be five
feet three inches. and its girt was four
feet ave and o half inches. Several
others were nearly as large.
These lands are very productive. The
corn zelda show this. The wheat yield
shows this, for it has averaged twenty
bushels { o the acre. When Mr.. Violin
came to this farm twenty-one years ago
there we're but Six settlers living in log
shanties, dirt roofs. At that day in Yank-
ton could be counted three hotels, one
saloon and q few small houses,
A SCORE Of years has worked magical
changes in the city and in the country
adjacent. Now where the six hardy set
tiers had pluck to stay through the des-
truction of grasshoppers and ldrouth have
lived to zee the fine residences and large
opened farms and seven artesian wells
within q space of Eve miles OF less sunk
to the depth of from $50 to 1913 feet, fur
nishing abundance Of pure water.
This bottom land along the James
river is a strong reminder OF Florida in
it's exuberant growth of.trees and shrubs.
When Yankton is o city OF 25, 900 these
lands will be the great supply foroA to
furnish vegetables for the use Of its
inhabitants. d. B. N.
OF the Horace Lewis Monte Cristo
company the Sioux City Journal of
Saturday says: The Academy OF Music
was crowded last night to witness the
production of "Monte Cristo.p Nor was
the large audience disappointed. The
rendlction of the great drama was ex.
cellent throughout. Mr.. Horace Lewis
played the double role of Edmond Dan.
tes and Count de Monte Crlsto, Helhas
a fnli and muoioaI uoioa ond nloya3